Current position: Director of teaching and learning for the McLean County Unit 5 School District

CURRENT SALARY: $110,750

Prior experience: Administrator at Vachel Lindsay, McClernand, Harvard Park and Dubois elementary schools and Jefferson Middle School. Coordinator of learning support for grades K-12 in Springfield. Elementary school teacher for six years.

Family: Married with a son who is a sophomore at Springfield High School and daughter in seventh grade.

Making the hour-and-10-minute trek from Springfield to Normal has caused Jennifer Gill to rack up a lot of miles on her vehicle the past year and a half.

When she was recruited to be director of teaching and learning for the McLean County Unit 5 School District, Gill never left town permanently.

“Springfield is my home,” said Gill (formerly Stack), a 1987 graduate of Springfield High School. “My husband works here, and my two children are enrolled at Springfield schools.”

Gill, 44, is one of two finalists selected by the Springfield School Board to be the next superintendent for District 186. The other is Michael Popp, an administrator in the Indian Prairie School District.

Gill said she believes her familiarity with Springfield schools would help ease her transition into the role of superintendent.

Long local career

Gill’s career in Springfield dates back to 1994, when she served as a third-grade teacher at Wanless Elementary School, 2120 E. Reservoir St. She worked as an elementary teacher in Jacksonville for three years before that.

Gill said she had an opportunity to transition to an administration role at Franklin Middle School, 1200 Outer Park Drive, after Wanless.

She worked there until 1999, when she became an assistant principal/assessment coordinator at Dubois Elementary School, 120 S. Lincoln Ave., and a head principal at Harvard Park Elementary, 2501 S. 11th St., two years later.

She held that position for five years until taking on the same responsibilities at Vachel Lindsay Elementary School, 3600 Fielding Drive, from 2002 to 2007.

However, Gill called her last assignment with the district — four years as principal at McClernand Elementary School, 801 N. Sixth St., from 2008 to 2012 — as her most rewarding time.

During her tenure, the Illinois State Board of Education recognized the school, which has a high number of low-income students, as an Improving School after being on an academic watch list. McClernand posted a 23 percent improvement in math and 17 percent improvement in reading over a two-year period, she said.

Gill said she and her staff were able to turn things around by continually assessing achievement data and being proactive, especially by engaging neighborhood leaders and churches.

“We were able to foster an environment where parents felt welcome coming into the school,” Gill said. “That’s a vision I have for the entire system. I want every family to feel welcome coming into their school and sending their child into a safe environment.”

Learning, listening

If hired, Gill said, she would try to build on her current relationships. Part of that would be talking with people in the business and faith communities, as well as in higher education.

Another goal would be becoming more visible in schools and learning more about the various programs offered by listening to parents and teachers. Understanding the details in the budget would also be a priority, she said.

Page 2 of 2 - Gill said she’s aware of a push in the community for the school district to hire more minorities. She said grooming students within the district at an early age to stay here and become teachers is key to improving the numbers.

Another focus would be assessing where the district stands in meeting the state’s new learning standards called Common Core, she said.

Gill also cited incorporating technology into the classroom. In her time at McLean County, the district has been able to provide about 1,100 laptop computers for junior high students, she said.

Gary Niehaus, superintendent of the McLean County School District, said Gill has been up to the challenge, and has been instrumental in the school district adopting Common Core learning standards.

When Gill was hired, Niehaus said, officials were aware she wouldn’t be moving into the school district. However, that was never a concern, he said.

“Anytime you get somebody with the quality that Jennifer Gill brings to the district, it’s worth it,” Niehaus said. “Whether you get one, two or three years, she will make an impact on the district and leave behind a footprint.”